Once upon a time (on the same side)
by Miss Catherine Earnshaw
Summary: Morgana's thoughts as she learns the truth about Merlin. Inspired by Coldplay's Princess of China.


**Note :** Okay, so this has been on my mind for like ages, since I saw this beautiful gifset (can't remember where) with Morgana and Merlin and Princess of China's lyrics. This is when I realised that it was definitely the song that fit the most their (complicated) relationship. I finally decided to try and write it, which took me a lot more time than initially expected (like, at least two weeks), and I've got to confess I'm still a bit unsatisfied about the result, but well...

Anyway, I hope you'll enjoy your reading. Before you start, keep in mind that English is not my native language and this story unbeta'ed. If you find any mistakes ( I'm sure you will ), please be kind and indicate them to be, I'll be happy to correct them.

* * *

_**Once  
upon a time on the same side  
Once upon a time on the same side  
In the same game**_

If Morgana had learned the truth about Merlin in another time (in another life, really), she may have reacted differently. But right now, as she listens to the words so long awaited coming from Mordred's mouth all she's able to feel is the cold, hard fury which never seems to leave her anyway.

She doesn't think about what this revelation imply- that Merlin, the loyal follower of Magic's greatest enemy is actually one of the most powerful warlock that ever were.

She only considers the opportunities that offers this disovery-being finally able to find Emery, destroy him and eventually putting an end to the Pendragon's tyranny. Right now, Merlin is only one remaining obstacle standing on her path to triumph and to Arthur's demise.

She forgot a long time ago the sweet young boy which smiled fondly whenever she said something clever or rolled her eyes because the prince acted like a doofus, which happened fairly often in the good old days

(Of course he wasn't always jolly or witty- he also used to be thoughtful and quiet, usually when the subject of magic was brought up- and truthfully she could have been cleverer and discovered it way quicker if she had really tried)

It was another life, another Morgana who walked in the corridors of the castle as the queen she already thought she was (being, after all, the ward of _Uther Pendragon_,-and how ironic it is that this title used to be one of the thing she was proudest of), with a green-silk-gown which reverberated the light of candles. A girl who looked nothing like that the woman she's now, all raggedy clothes and dirtiness. Someone who inspired awe rather than fear or despite.

_**Why'd you have to go  
Have to go and throw it all in my face**_

_**'Cause you really hurt me**_

_**Oh you really hurt me**_

The years of emptiness and hollowness, away from everyone and everything she had ever known have washed all of these memory. But maybe they had actually vanished a long time ago, at the precise moment Merlin gave her this flask and made her drink, watching silently as poison affected her body, his blue eyes slowly filling with tears.

Of all the people she could have been betrayed by, Morgana would certainly have not that Merlin would be the one to take her down. It didn't make sense when he was still the innocent and naive boy she thought him to be. It should have made even less now that she knows him to be one of the few people in the kingdom for whom Camelot's doom would have been a blessing rather than a curse.

But all of this didn't even matter anymore. These memory of a shadowy past could have been as well a dream, for all she knew about it. That's why reminiscences and long forgotten hopes of being finally able to get Merlin the way she wanted, fierce and possessive as truly _hers_ and not just Arthur's puppy, didn't even brush her as she stood up and gave Mordred his instructions, the curve of her lips lifting in a vicious smile. None of it was real, not anymore. Not nearly as real as her long awaited and finally reachable victory, anyway.

_**'Cause you really hurt me**_  
_**Oh you really hurt me**_


End file.
